Caught
by Panino
Summary: Unable to sleep the night after Kate's suicide attempt, Max turns to the only person she can count on at Blackwell for comfort.
1. Chapter 1

Max was sitting at her desk, staring at her laptop screen. It was 12:47 a.m. and she had no intention of sleeping anytime soon. Today had been a close call with Kate, and she hoped everyone learned a lesson. How could people be so cruel and thoughtless when the girl was obviously in so much pain? Kate had only ever been sweet to others. On top of that, how come the faculty didn't feel the need to do anything about it? Max still couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous was going down in Arcadia Bay. Even with her powers, Max now sat wondering if she had made the right decisions. Should she have accused Nathan, or should she have laid low? And what was the deal with Madsen? She let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed at her sore eyes.

Max was going to drive herself crazy at this point. She needed a distraction, but she didn't want to get Chloe in any more trouble. She couldn't talk to Kate for obvious reasons, and everyone else was bound to be sleeping. Everyone except one person.

Warren had been so great earlier. He had sat with Max on the quad for a few hours after Kate was rushed to the hospital. He waited patiently until she was ready to go in, reassuring her about what a life saver she had been. She could always rely on Warren. Why would tonight be an exception?

Not even thinking to shoot him a text first, Max threw an over-sized sweater on over her pajamas and left her dorm.

* * *

The boys' dorms were eerily quiet, but Max wasn't sure if that was just because everyone was still shocked about Kate. As she passed Logan's door, she heard a giggle that Max was pretty certain belonged to Dana. A lot of students took advantage of the lax security in the dorms. Max couldn't help but feel that some of them treated the dormitory like a motel. _And now you're one of them, you hypocrite._ Max mentally slapped herself. But this was different! She wasn't going there to... with Warren... _Gross._ Max shook her head frantically. She was making _herself_ blush.

Feeling like she was going insane, she wandered over to Warren's room. Raising a shaking hand, she knocked on the door. This was her last chance to run away and pretend nothing had happened.

But despite her nervousness, relief flooded through her as the lock clicked and a befuddled Warren stood in the doorway. His hair was damp and tousled, and a towel was hanging around his neck. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and sweat pants. "Is it too late to schedule an emergency appointment, Dr. Graham?" She shuffled her feet lamely, suddenly feeling extremely awkward about coming to his room at this hour. In her pajamas.

"You better come in before someone sees you," he said, casting a nervous glance down the hallway.

 _Too late to turn back now,_ she thought. She stepped into his dorm, and he closed the door behind her.

"Are you okay, Max?" His brows were furrowed in concern.

"I'm fine... I just can't sleep, and it creeps me out being alone."

His face relaxed into one of his sheepish smiles. "Ah... well nothing a little therapy session can't cure," he joked.

"Just what I needed," Max laughed.

"Do you want tea or something?" he offered, gesturing to a stand complete with a water boiler and a jar of tea bags.

"You have _tea_?" Max scoffed, sitting down on the sofa across from his bed.

Warren simply raised an eyebrow. "Anything to keep my patients happy. And energy drinks make me act like a crackhead," he added.

While he was boiling the water and cleaning his mug for her, Max's eyes wandered around his room. She felt like it would take her hours to go through all the stuff in here. It was cleaner than hers at least. There was a poster of the elements and various Sci Fi shows _._ His bookshelf was home to dozens of DVDs, half of which she had never heard of.

"Here you go," Warren held out the steaming tea to her. "This herbal concoction will have you feeling better in no time."

"Thanks, Warren," she said, smiling at him as she cupped the mug in her hands. "I'm not keeping you up, am I?"

"Nah, I'm usually up this late anyways." He pulled out his desk chair so that he was facing her. "So do you want to talk more about today or do you just want a distraction?"

"I'm in _serious_ need of distraction."

"How about a movie then?"

"As long as there are no cannibals," she smiled.

He laughed. "Let's see what we've got."

* * *

They were halfway through _The Princess Bride_ when Warren noticed Max was nodding off. Her eyes had become hooded and it was only a matter of time before she passed out. She really needed some rest after everything that had happened with Kate. Slowly, her eyes fluttered closed, and her breathing slowed. He turned off the T.V., watching her for a few moments. She really was an amazing person. It was just frustrating that she didn't realize it.

Not wanting her to wake up with a back ache from the stiff sofa, he lifted her and gently laid her on his bed. The day's events had really taken their toll on her. She didn't stir at all as he draped his blankets over her. As he was bent over her, he caught himself looking at her lips. They were slightly parted. It was tempting, but he knew it wasn't fair to Max. And the thought of Chloe's truck bursting through his door stopped him cold.

Sighing, he took the spare blanket from his closet and flopped onto the futon.

* * *

Max woke up around 8:00 the next morning, disoriented. At first she thought she was in her own bed, and simply closed her eyes again. Lazily, she rolled onto her side, curling up in the blankets. Deciding she couldn't fall back asleep, her eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the morning light. Then she noticed that the posters on the walls were different from those in her room. She turned to look at the opposite wall. Her selfie collage was missing. She jolted upright, memories from last night flooding back to her. The last thing she remembered was watching the movie with Warren. But she had been on the futon.

Looking at the pillow and the blanket on the futon, she realized that Warren must have moved her last night and slept on the futon himself. Her stomach did a flip when she realized he must have carried her to his bed. She hugged the sheets to her chest. Of course she _knew_ Warren liked her. It was pretty obvious, even for someone as clueless as she was. But with all the chaos and the impending doom of everyone in Arcadia Bay, Max really hadn't had the time to consider her own feelings. She liked Warren, yes. And he was an awesome friend. But she wasn't sure if she wanted more. The butterflies in her stomach certainly seemed to be trying to tell her something though.

Speaking of Warren, where was he?

Max rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slowly climbed out of his bed. She tried to tidy up and hide any evidence of her having been there. Just as she had finished, she heard the door click open. Warren stood there with a toothbrush and a hand towel.

"Oh, Super Max is awake," he said, smiling slightly. "You were really exhausted after yesterday."

"Y-yeah." She felt her face heat up after she realized she must look like a zombie. She caught a glimpse of herself in Warren's mirror. Her hair was a little messy, and her eyes were still hooded with sleep, but luckily she didn't look too awful. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

"No worries," he shrugged.

"Um, did you sleep on the couch last night?" she asked.

"Yeah. I mean, you needed sleep more than I did, and that thing isn't the most comfortable." He scratched his head. "I hope you don't mind that I moved you."

She blushed. "It's fine... Thanks for everything last night, Warren. Seriously."

Voices echoed outside in the hallway as students were emerging from their dorms, and a feeling of dread took hold of her. She hadn't meant to spend the whole night. She should at least have gotten up early to sneak out before everyone else was up. How would she get out unnoticed? By the look on Warren's face she assumed he had come to the same realization. "What should we do?" Max whispered. If she got caught sneaking out of Warren's room neither of them would ever hear the end of it.

"I'll go check the hallway again. Maybe you can sneak out through the emergency exit." Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Warren couldn't help but notice how cute Max was when she was flustered. Her blue eyes were wide and there was a flush spreading across her freckled nose. He walked over to the door and poked his head out.

"Now's your chance. Most of them are in the bathroom or already left for breakfast." He signaled for her to follow him. Max hurried out behind him, covering her face just for good measure. Trying not to laugh at her, Warren led her to the exit closest to his room.

But just as Max was about to sneak through, they saw a shadow through the glass. _"Shit,_ " she hissed.

Reacting quickly, Warren grabbed Max's hand and pushed her into a nearby utility closet, closing the door behind him. The room only had enough space to store some cleaning supplies and a few brooms, but somehow they both fit.

Max hoped he couldn't see how red her face had become. At this point she probably resembled an incredibly ripe tomato. One of his arms was pinned behind her head to keep himself from squishing her, and the other one covered her mouth to stifle her surprised gasp as he pushed her into the closet. "It's Madsen making his rounds. Just wait 'til he leaves," Warren whispered, peeking through the slats in the door.

Max nodded, and Warren removed his hand from her mouth. She took the opportunity to look him in the face, as he was still keeping tabs on what was happening outside. His brow was creased in concentration, just like it did when he was working on an experiment. She couldn't deny that he was pretty cute like this. _Stop it, you pervert,_ Max reprimanded herself. Trying to create some distance between them, she shuffled to the side. Of course, as clumsy and uncoordinated as she was, her foot caught on the mop bucket, causing her to stumble. The bucket clattered over, and Max found that her plan had backfired. She was now face-planted into Warren's shoulder. His hands gripped her arms, trying to steady her.

The sound of footsteps stopped just outside the closet. "What the _hell_... Damned kids always breaking things," Madsen muttered, looking for the source of the cacophony before giving up and moving on.

Both Warren and Max exhaled, relaxing. It took a few seconds for Warren to register how close they had become. Max was now leaning into his chest as she struggled to remain upright. He could feel her heartbeat fluttering against him. Reluctantly breaking the silence, he cleared his throat. "Uh... you okay?"

Max jumped. "Y-yeah, sorry. That was a close one." She avoided his eyes.

"I'll go out first, in case anyone is still out there," he said.

Warren turned to open the door, and after checking, he signaled to her that the hallway was clear. She clambered out of the closet and they bee-lined for the emergency exit. Max hesitated before going through the door. "Well... see you in class I guess," she half-whispered.

"See you around, Ninja Max," Warren smirked.

* * *

Max let out a sigh of relief as she entered the girls' dorms. Things had been so intense and awkward back there that she completely forgot she could rewind if they got caught. But as things turned out she didn't need to. Which was all for the better since she didn't really want to, for reasons she wasn't willing to admit just yet.

As she was nearing her room, she bumped into Dana outside the bathroom. "Oh, hey Max! Trevor just texted me saying he saw you leaving the boys' dorms. With _Warren._ " Max felt her jaw drop open. Being her bubbly self, Dana didn't even bother to keep her voice down.

"Oh, uh, I just stopped by to give back a DVD I borrowed." _Smooth recovery._ She felt her confidence returning.

"Really? Is that why you're still in your pajamas?" Dana grinned slyly.

Before Max could come up with another lie, she heard a loud burst of laughter behind her.

"Oh. My. _God."_ She spun around and met face-to-face with none other than Victoria and her cronies.

 _Game Over._


	2. Chapter 2

Trevor's mouth stretched into an impressive yawn. Dana had kept him up most of the night, but he couldn't complain. She was shaken after Kate's suicide attempt, and Trevor tried his best to cheer her up. It was a long night, but at least he could rub it in Justin's face later. First, though, it was time for a shower. How long had it been, anyhow?

"'Sup, David." He saluted Madsen as the disgruntled man hustled past the bathroom door.

The security guard shot him daggers and grumbled something that sounded a lot like a string of curse words. Trevor hoped the man never caught on to the fact that his irritability made him more fun to play with.

Cackling, he began to push his way into the bathroom when he heard distant voices. He glimpsed around nonchalantly.

Then he saw something that made him do a double-take. Warren and a certain someone were mingling in front of the emergency exit at the end of the hall. Warren and _Max Caulfield._ Trevor never expected to see her in the boys' dorms. She looked like she'd just run a marathon or something. Her face was completely red and her hair frazzled. Grinning, he turned around and left them to their business.

"It's about fucking _time,_ " he mumbled to himself. He made a mental to note to tell Dana later.

* * *

There was a pleasant breeze sneaking in through the open window. Birds were chirping, and the sound of leaves whispering in the wind would have been soothing on a normal day. But today Max couldn't possibly feel more removed from the blissful picture she was observing through the window frame. _This can't be happening._ She was hugging her knees with her back against the door of her dorm room. Victoria's evil smirk was imprinted in her mind. She had tried to rewind about a dozen times, but she just couldn't go back far enough. Her powers were still depleted after saving Kate, so all she was left with was a pounding headache. Below the window, Lisa was looking a little droopy, mimicking the girl's mood. Max almost wanted to laugh as she wondered if it was weird for her to feel so connected to a plant.

Soon everyone would know about her little sleep over with Warren. Max couldn't believe Dana actually blurted it out like that. But knowing her, she probably just thought she was playing matchmaker. Sooner or later, Max knew she would have to suck it up and leave her dorm. Her only hope was miraculously gaining the ability to shape shift, like Mystique. She could already bend time to her will. How hard could it be?

Groaning, she buried her face in her hands. For a second she wished she were more like Chloe. Her best friend would never let something like this bother her. She always confronted things head-on. Hell, Chloe probably would have enjoyed people spreading scandalous rumors about her. Whipping out her phone, Max sent her a text.

" _SOS"_

A reply came in a matter of seconds, much to Max's relief.

 _"lunch? two whales?"_

She doubted she would have an appetite, but she desperately wanted to be anywhere but Blackwell.

 _"yes, come get me. asap!"_ Max didn't care if she sounded needy. She needed an escape.

 _"roger that"_

The girl stared at her phone and realized this was the best she could do for now. She just had to survive until lunch.

* * *

Warren couldn't stop his leg from shaking as he sat at his lab table. Thoughts of earlier that morning replayed in his mind. Max was nowhere to be seen at breakfast, which wasn't that unusual. He knew she sometimes went to the Two Whales to eat with Chloe. But... something seemed _off._ Other than the freaky weather and Kate's absence. He noticed a lot of whispering as he walked past people on his way to the science room, and Trevor, who he didn't normally talk to, gave him a high five as he approached his locker.

A sense of security fell over him as he took his seat in the lab and settled in for a double period of chemistry. The familiarity of the chemicals and the equipment reassured him that at least nothing had changed here. Brooke seemed a little more frigid than usual, if that were possible after he had asked Max to the drive-in.

Warren inhaled the smell of the lab. Today it was different from the usual hospital-like odor. Instead, a hint of citrus hung in the air, as they were continuing a lesson on separating limonene from oranges through steam distillation. He had a sudden flashback to one afternoon in September when he and Max had sat on the quad eating their lunches. She had picked up a clementine from the cafeteria, and he remembered struggling to keep his eyes off her lips as she popped a piece of the fruit into her mouth.

Shaking his head, he reached for his bag and pulled out his chemistry text book, trying and failing to keep his mind off of a certain brown-haired girl. He flipped through the pages, but was unable to focus on a single word. Max sometimes wandered into the lab to see him before third period, and he couldn't help but hope today would be one of those lucky days.

A pale finger reached out and flicked the side of a beaker sitting on the lab table. Having been so invested in his thoughts, Warren failed to notice that Nathan Prescott came by to give him a friendly visit, both his hands planted on the cool granite in front of him. The boy sneered at him from across the table. "So you finally got laid, Beta Phag? I guess we were wrong about you then." Before Warren could retort, the asshole was already stalking away, laughing. He could feel Brooke's eyes boring into his back.

His fists clenching, Warren put the pieces together. Someone had seen him and Max this morning... And it dawned on him that this must be the reason why she didn't show up to breakfast. A wave of guilt washed over him. He had to find her and apologize. Pushing himself off of his stool, he rushed out to the hallway. He had at least two minutes until the bell rang.

He hurried down the hallway toward the bathrooms, hoping he would catch her on her way to class. The back of his neck still hot from his encounter with Nathan, he ignored the whispers as he searched for Max. Seeing no sign of her, he gave up and headed back to Ms. Grant's class. Just as he was about to head inside though, he spotted Max across the hall, just outside Mr. Jefferson's room. He must have missed her in the chaos as students rushed to their first class. Her eyes met his, and he lifted a hand to wave. Max froze, turned a brilliant shade of maroon, and retreated into the classroom. He let his hand drop lamely. _That went well._

Taylor, who was thankfully the only one to witness the awkward exchange, closed her locker. "Trouble in Paradise?"

Warren let out a frustrated sigh as the bell rang.

* * *

Blackwell was abuzz with the news. Fourth period had just ended, and Mr. Jefferson dismissed them for lunch. She had never hated the circular arrangement of the desks more. She could feel the eyes of her classmates flitting over to her table. Victoria didn't even try to be subtle as she leaned to whisper in Courtney's ear. Then Max caught Hayden's eye. He shot her a devilish look before winking at her.

She rushed out of the room and headed straight for her locker. She was just planning to drop off her books and grab her jacket before meeting Chloe in the parking lot. She hid her face in her locker, not wanting to talk to anyone. She wasn't sure if she could handle this for the rest of the day.

"Yo, Max!"

The girl jumped. Warren had walked up behind her. His usual grin was no where to be seen. Instead his face was chiseled with concern and guilt.

"Um, I'm a little busy now, Warren. I told Chloe we could hang out during lunch." Several of their classmates were lurking around, hungry for more gossip opportunities.

She felt like the biggest jerk when she saw the crestfallen look on his face. "Oh, okay. It's cool. Guess I'll just catch you later then."

Flashing him a tight-lipped smile, Max hugged her jacket to her chest and darted for the exit. The brick walls of the hall felt like they were closing in on her, almost as if they were trying to constrict and suffocate their prey.

She felt a weight lifted from her chest as she pushed her way outside. Scrambling down the stairs into the parking lot, she spotted Chloe leaning against her bumper. As she drew nearer, the blue-haired girl saluted her with her free hand. A cigarette was perched between the middle and ring fingers of her opposite hand. She wore her usual beanie, with a faded t-shirt and torn jeans. Only Chloe could pull off such a look, Max thought admiringly.

Chloe climbed back in and revved up the engine. Max pulled herself into her best friend's truck, slamming the creaky door shut behind her. She never thought she'd be thinking of the worn down death-trap that was Chloe's truck a safe haven.

"Where to, Mad Max?"

"Anywhere but here _._ "

Chloe laughed. "Okay, Bossy Pants." The two were silent for a few minutes as Chloe pulled out onto the winding road that led down into Arcadia Bay. Max basked in the quiet, closing her eyes and trying to forget everything about this morning. Sensing that something was wrong, Chloe remained silent until they got to the diner and found their usual booth.

Joyce ordered them both a burger and soda, and Chloe shot Max a calculating look before deciding to break the silence.

"So I heard you had a slumber party with Warren." She nudged her best friend's arm from across the table. "Shouldn't I be the first person to know?"

"Oh, _god._ You heard about that too?" Max asked, exasperated. "I _swear,_ Chloe. Nothing happened. We were just watching a movie and I fell asleep and-"

"Calm down, calm down," Chloe snorted, raising her eyebrows. "Justin texted me this morning. I figured it was just a rumor."

Max let out a sigh. "This whole day has been a fucking joke _."_

Taking a sip of her soda, Chloe eyed her friend curiously. "So have you seen Warren since last night?"

"Yeah... I pretty much avoided him though. With everyone practically gawking at us, I kinda freaked out."

Fiddling with her keys, Chloe pressed her friend for more details. "Well what really did happen?"

Max recounted everything. Chloe whistled when Max got to the part when Warren moved her to his bed, but quickly apologized at the look Max gave her. Her freckled face was hot again by the time she finished.

Chloe took another noisy sip of her soda. "Not to be all cheesy, but do you have _feelings_ for the guy?"

"Chloe," she began, with a warning tone.

"No, seriously! Do you like him?" She flashed Max a lopsided grin. "I know I might not look like the best person to go to for couples counseling, but I might surprise you."

Max stared at Chloe for a few moments before she determined that she was serious. It was a rare occasion, but the blue-haired girl now wore an expression of concern mixed with genuine interest. "Maybe... I don't know," she let out another breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"When I first met Rachel. I felt like she was the only one who actually understood me. You and my dad were long gone, and Joyce was too busy with step-douche. But Rachel... she didn't go on about how bad she felt for me. I felt _alive_ with her, y'know?"

Chloe's eyes were alight with a passion that made Max envious. Did Warren make her feel the same way? Was she ready for something like that? He did make her feel...safe. Not in a damsel-in-distress sort of way, but in a way that made her sure that he would go to any length to support her. She could tell by how sincere he was the other day in the parking lot when he told her she could tell him anything.

Both of them fell back into another lapse of silence. Chloe seemed to be in deep thought for a few moments before speaking again. Her eyes were fogged as her mind traveled to more somber, distant places. She looked so vulnerable, a side of the girl that only Max could see. Finally, with a shaky breath, Chloe spoke again. "Max... sometimes I think... maybe she _didn't_ love me. Maybe I'm part of the reason why she's gone," she muttered.

Her best friend scuffed her boots on the checkered tiles under the table. Max felt guilt wash over her. She had no reason to be so sulky in front of Chloe, someone who had lost more than she could ever imagine. And here she was complaining about someone having a crush on her.

"But at least I know what I felt was real. That's something to hold onto, right?"

"Yeah," Max murmured, feeling much calmer.

Chloe took a deep breath before continuing. "Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, don't throw something like that away just because a few scumbags are so bored with their lives that they make up stories about someone else's. What really matters is how _you_ feel. No one's forcing you to make a decision if you're not ready yet."

The two were silent for a few seconds. Max took the chance to let her friend's advice sink in. "Wow, Chloe... That was...deep."

"I do have my philosophical moments," Chloe boasted, with a dreamy glint in her eyes. Then, her face broke into a smile, and she hopped back onto her feet. "Anyways, let's blow this popsicle stand. I've had enough nutrients!" Dusting the crumbs from her ripped jeans, she made her way towards the exit, giving Joyce a brief wave.

Max laughed, and stood up to follow her best friend back to the truck.

* * *

On the drive back to Blackwell Max made up her mind. She would tell Warren just what she was thinking. That is if he wasn't already peeved at her for blowing him off earlier.

Chloe dropped her off on the street across from the quad. With one last gulp of fresh air, she set off for the main hall. Max missed the days when she was pretty much invisible at Blackwell. All she had to do was pop in her ear phones and she was set. The hallway was just a blur of fluorescent lights and dull colors. Today she didn't think she'd be so lucky.

Sure enough, the short walk from the entrance to her locker seemed more like a mile. Max wished she could crawl into her locker and call it a day. Instead, she took a deep breath, slammed it shut, and walked over to where Warren was talking with Brooke.

"Hi Brooke," Max said awkwardly. The girl merely nodded, giving her a frosty look. Nothing Max wasn't used to. Giving up, she turned to the person she came to talk to in the first place.

"Hey Warren. Um, sorry about earlier." Someone wolf-whistled from across the hallway. Why did she feel like the noise of the hallway had died down as soon as she found the courage to strike up a conversation.

"What's up, Max?" His eyes were as warm as always.

"Can we go somewhere... other than here...?"

"Uh, sure. Where do you want to-"

Before Warren or anyone could say anything else, she took him by the arm and led him outside. It wasn't like she'd be able to focus in the remainder of today's classes anyways. She thought she could hear distant cheering as they rushed out onto the quad, but she couldn't hear much over the ringing in her ears.

* * *

They stood awkwardly in the vacant parking lot for a few minutes. Max was reminded that in this spot just a few days ago, Warren had fought to keep Nathan off of her. Her stomach did another somersault.

Warren was scratching his head, eyeing Max curiously. She looked as if she desperately wanted to tell him something, but couldn't find the words. Her cheeks were burning yet again, and there was something blazing in her eyes that made Warren feel weak in the knees. Suddenly feeling like her hesitation might have something to do with the atmosphere, a thought came to him.

"Do you want to go somewhere else? I could drive us somewhere," he offered.

Her tense shoulders relaxing slightly, Max nodded. She followed him over to his car, and Warren went around to the passenger's side to unlock her door. "Sorry, no automatic locks," he explained, grinning.

She just smiled at him, trying to ignore the frantic beating of her heart, and climbed into his car.

* * *

The late-afternoon sun glared high in the sky, trying its best to emit the last bit of heat before Arcadia Bay succumbed to winter. Max rolled down the window and was enjoying the feel of the wind on her face as they approached the beach. Warren smiled faintly as the smell of the sea grew stronger. Both of them were quiet, but it was a comfortable silence.

Once they found a place to park, they wandered over to a sea wall they spotted in the distance. Max dropped her bag before climbing out onto the rocks, her arms outstretched for balance. Finding a place even enough to sit on, she pulled off her shoes and placed her feet tentatively in the chilly water. Warren sat a few feet away from her.

He was paralyzed at the thought of being rejected. He could handle it if Max didn't feel the same way, but what if she didn't want to have anything to do with him once she knew his feelings? She was being strangely distant this week, after all. But at the same time she _did_ choose to come to him last night when she needed someone to talk to... And he was starting to notice how flustered she seemed to be whenever she was near him lately. Warren didn't know what to make of that. Gritting his teeth, he decided it was as good a time as any to tell her.

"You probably already know, Max... but I really like you." He didn't dare to look at her, but he could feel her eyes on him. "This wasn't really how I was planning on telling you..."

Despite the situation, Max snickered inwardly at the thought of him telling her in front of a screen full of apes. So much more romantic.

"Warren-"

"You don't have to say anything yet," he added hastily, "You have enough on your mind with Kate and everything...and it's cool if you don't feel the same way. I just wanted you to hear it from me."

Standing up, Max figured it was time to say something. "Sorry for acting so weird all day..." Max started, trying to find the right words. She found it incredibly difficult these days to express exactly what she was feeling. "You're really great, Warren... I guess I'm just not sure how I feel yet. Time seems to be going so fast..." Cliche as it sounded, that was the best she could describe it.

At first she expected Warren to feel hurt. Instead, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. I understand."

They fell silent again, staring out at the waves crashing against the shore. Their white peaks grew bolder, coming threateningly close to their feet. Unfazed, Max's eyes continued to stare out at the horizon.

Warren couldn't help but notice that she looked more troubled than he had ever seen her. She was so small compared to the distant lighthouse. Yet there was a surreal strength in the way her jaw was set, in the pain he could see in her eyes. Once again he felt the urge to know what was going on inside her mind. Though she had expressed the desire to tell him a few days ago, she seemed to be holding something back. But he decided not to push her about it. Instead, he merely watched from afar as the wind tugged at her hair, beckoning her towards the ocean. Without thinking, he snatched Max's camera out of her bag and snapped a picture.

She turned to look at him in surprise.

Warren smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. It was a good shot." He waited a few moments for it to develop before holding it out for her to see. "I think I just won the Everyday Heroes contest for you!"

It really was a good picture, with the sun reflecting off of her hair, giving it an auburn tint, and the sea lapping at the rocks. Her small frame stood in contrast with the towering lighthouse. It was as if the scenery were trying to remind her that, despite her new-found power, she had never felt more out of control. After she got a good look at it, he went back to her bag to return the photo and camera safely.

"You can keep it," she blurted out. Warren looked at her, confused. "I-I want you to have it." She looked him straight in the eye this time.

Max watched him as he looked down at the water for a few moments, deep in thought. "Okay... I'll hold onto it for you until you have your answer for me. Deal?"

She chuckled. "Deal." Feeling the chill of mid-October as the sun crept below the horizon, they decided to head back. As they were climbing over the damp rocks, Max's worn sneakers slipped, and she came dangerously close to falling in the water. Instinctively, her hand shot out and she was able to rewind and regain her balance. Seeing her falter slightly out of the corner of his eye, Warren reached out to help her.

Her cheeks turning a subtle shade of pink, Max took his outstretched hand.

"Careful, we can't have the Hero of Blackwell washing out to sea," he teased.

"Oh, _h_ _a ha_." Relief coursed through her veins. They were back to normal again.

She may not be ready yet, but she had time. For now, she was content with just living in the moment.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope it's not too mushy... I'm not sure if I'll continue or just leave it like this, but let me know what you think!**


End file.
